Motorcyclists Thundered Through Newtown During 2010 CT United Ride

By Andrew Gorosko

A stream of almost 2,500 motorcycles blazed through Newtown on Sunday, August 29, entering on Route 302 at the Bethel town line and departing via Route 25 at the Monroe town line.

The parade of motorcycles was an estimated nine miles long, and at one point the procession reportedly extended the full distance between the Bethel-Newtown town line and the Newtown-Monroe town line.

For those standing along the parade route, it took about 30 minutes for the deafening procession to pass.

Locally, spectators gathered at the Dodgingtown Firehouse at 55 Dodgingtown Road (Route 302), where Dodgingtown and Hawleyville fire trucks were positioned in support of the event.

A display of small American flags on the lawn in front of the firehouse symbolized the 343 firefighters who lost their lives at the World Trade Center during rescue efforts following terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

On South Main Street (Route 25), near its intersection with Borough Lane, Newtown Hook & Ladder and Sandy Hook firefighters extended the aerial ladders on their fire trucks upward, suspending a large American flag over South Main Street, beneath which the motorcyclists passed.

Farther south, Botsford Fire Rescue members greeted the passing motorcyclists as they drove past the Botsford firehouse on South Main Street.

It is the tenth year the CT United Ride has been held, explained Fredrick T. Garrity, Jr, the director of the nonprofit, fundraising organization. The CT United Ride, a fundraising event, is sponsored by the CT State Fire Fighters, the UPFFA of CT.

This year’s motorcycle procession was also dedicated to the memory of Bridgeport Fire Department members Lieutenant Steven Velasquez and Firefighter Michel Baik, who died recently while fighting a house fire there.

The 60-mile-long motorcycle parade passed through 11 towns. It was escorted by motorcycle police from Newtown, Waterbury, Bridgeport, Trumbull, Fairfield, Hamden, Meriden, Milford, Cheshire, East Hartford, West Hartford, Darien, Stamford, and Connecticut State Police.

During the motorcycle parade, an accident involving a motorcyclist and a SUV driver occurred at the intersection of Dodgingtown Road and Hattertown Road. (See police reports for details.)